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Military tattoo event pitched to Woodlands County

The Whitecourt Woodlands Hawks Foundation is currently seeking to establish a military tattoo. The foundation is dedicated to supporting the Royal Canadian Air Cadets—#721 Hawk Squadron (Peter Shokeir | Whitecourt Star).

The Whitecourt Woodlands Hawks Foundation pitched a potential military tattoo event to Woodlands County Council during its regular meeting on Nov. 7.

A military tattoo is a military performance that can involve theatrics and music. Foundation director Marc Chayer said the Whitecourt / Woodlands Military Tattoo would not only benefit the Whitecourt Air Cadets but also draw in tourists.

“We don’t want this to be a one-off. We want this to be an annual event,” Chayer said.

The foundation is a non-profit organization made up of parent and community members dedicated to supporting the Whitecourt Air Cadets. Chayer described how they first started a drum line for the squadron before expanding their musical program.

“Now our drum line has become pipes and drums,” he said.

Chayer said the foundation now wants to take this initiative to the next step by organizing an event unique to Whitecourt.

“There is no military tattoo in Alberta and hasn’t been one since the Alberta centennial and that was a one-off,” Chayer said.

The event would feature cadet bands from across the province, Chayer said, adding that non-military groups would also be allowed to participate.

Chayer explained to council that the foundation needed $10,000 in seed money and also the guidance of Woodlands County to help launch this event.

“I’m no fool. I know I don’t know everything and you’ve done this before,” Chayer said.

Coun. Ron Govenlock asked Chayer to explain his request.

“The number $10,000, of course, catches my ear very effectively,” Govenlock said. “How did you come up with that number there?”

Chayer replied that the foundation already did a preliminarily look at the potential costs, such as advertising and hotel rooms.

“The $10,000 gets eaten up pretty quick,” Chayer said. “This would be the seed money to help us get there.”

He added that the ultimate goal was to make the military tattoo self-sustaining.

Woodlands County Mayor Jim Rennie said the County would need to see a detailed budget before promising any money.

“Once there is a budget in place, there are a number of grant available,” Rennie said. “There’s a pool of money out there that can easily fit this.”

Council moved to accept the delegation as information and to bring back this information for the request to next council meeting. The foundation was also scheduled to present before Whitecourt Town Council on Nov. 13, but this was postponed.